JW Marriott New Orleans — Hotel in New Orleans

I spent two nights here, scoping out accommodations in the city. It is a fine hotel, in a prime spot close to Bourbon Street (which is noisy at night) and easy to find despite New Orleans' one way system! There is a lot of construction going on and the frontage is somewhat covered so it is easy to miss the turn in to the valet parking but this is temporary of course.||||First of all, the staff here are, without exception, friendly and helpful, in the very best traditions of southern hospitality. We were quickly checked in although we were very early, having arrived on the first flight out of Atlanta but we were able to efficiently and quickly store our bags before heading out for the day. We were told that the hotel would call us when the room was ready but I have been told that numerous times by many hotels and it very often doesn't happen, and it didn't here. However, this was no problem as we showed up around 330 and the room was ready for us. As ever, status helps with Marriott and we had a lovely room on the 18th floor.||||The foyer area of this hotel is quite small and bustling. We were there when the 49ers were in town to play the Saints and the Superdome is very nearby. However it never felt particularly crowded or stressed. I find it disconcerting to enter a hotel and be presented with an armed police officer immediately as I enter but, since this is my first time in NO, maybe that is standard. I was, however, disquieted by this presence, as friendly as he was. Off to the right of reception is a wonderful exec club if you have the status to enter it. Along the lines of an airline club lounge.||||The room we had was very nice, albeit standard two queen beds, ensuite etc. The room is fairly old school with a shower over a bathtub arrangement which I don't like in comparison with a walk in shower which seems to be the modern standard, and one I much prefer. However, the shower was very efficient and the beds were very comfortable. ||||There was one issue that shouldn't happen at a hotel at this level, although not a big deal. When we opened the refrigerator in the room (which I appreciated having) there was a half drunk bottle of wine in there, as well as some leftover food. This happens, and upon leaving for the day I told reception, who apologized and promised to have it taken care of. Since we were going out, I mentioned that it was fine for housekeeping to take care of it that morning. However, they didn't. It was still there at night despite the room having been refreshed.||||As I say, this is not a huge deal and I get that it happens, but it shouldn't really, especially when it is pointed out. It makes one wonder how well the rest of the housekeeping is carried out when this occurs, although the room was very clean so I don't think this was an issue. Just a minor thing. ||||Note that NO is a party city and Canal Street runs outside the building and noise comes up from the street until early in the morning. It is a loud city! This doesn't bother me but it may you. I am not sure if there are rooms at the back of the building that are quieter. As I say, doesn't bother me but it is worth knowing.||||I would definitely stay here again, it is very nice and the staff make for extremely good interactions and that suggests a happy and well run hotel to me, and they seemed to cope admirably with what was a clearly busy weekend. I point out the small things that happened because they are unusual in a JW and hopefully it will be taken as the constructive criticism it is intended to be. You will have a lovely stay here...

Disappointing for a JW Marriott Property

As someone who has stayed at multiple JW Marriott properties, I had high expectations for the JW Marriott New Orleans, but unfortunately, this hotel fell short of the brand’s usual standards. While the location is great, the overall experience left a lot to be desired, and I was surprised at how many aspects of the stay didn’t measure up to what you’d typically expect from a JW Marriott.

First, the rooms and bathrooms were much smaller than anticipated. The space felt cramped, and the layout didn’t offer the level of comfort or luxury I’m accustomed to when staying at other JW Marriott locations. There were very few amenities that stood out, and overall, the room lacked that refined touch that usually defines the brand.

The lobby and lounge were also very underwhelming. Both spaces were smaller than expected and felt congested, especially during peak times. The lounge, which is usually a highlight of JW properties, was frustrating to navigate. The coffee machine was placed in a tight corner, and it seemed like it was always either being cleaned or out of service. This caused a lot of unnecessary crowding in that area, making it a hassle to simply get a cup of coffee. It wasn’t a pleasant experience trying to grab a drink with so many people huddled around, and it felt poorly designed.

On one occasion, the lounge served beignets, which were delicious and probably the best part of my stay. It was a nice touch and gave a bit of local flavor to the experience. However, aside from that, the lounge experience was lackluster. The breakfast area was also poorly organized, especially when a few people were trying to get food at the same time. There just wasn’t enough space for guests to comfortably move around, which detracted from the relaxed, premium feel that JW lounges usually have.

One of the key issues was that the entire hotel seemed too small for the number of guests it accommodates. Whether in the rooms, the lounge, or even the lobby, there was a constant sense of overcrowding and not enough space to comfortably enjoy the amenities. The design and layout just didn’t seem optimized for the kind of luxury experience you expect from this brand.

Overall, while the staff was friendly and the beignets were a nice touch, this property didn’t live up to the JW Marriott name. The small, cramped spaces and lack of amenities made it hard to justify the higher price point and my usual confidence in the brand. I hope they make some improvements, but based on my stay, I’m not...

Starting with the good, the location is excellent. It's right on Canal Street and directly across from the French Quarter so it's easy to get to the tourist attractions without being in the midst of the noise. There were no bedbugs! Many hotels I looked at within the French Quarter were plagued with bedbugs. The room was new and beautifully appointed. I appreciated the ample seating areas and storage, the handheld shower, and the makeup mirror.

Something that was "wrong" but didn't bother me enough to ask to be moved is that I specifically booked a French Quarter view room, but I was placed in a Canal Street view room. This means that unfortunately, I missed out on getting waterfront views.

Here's what went poorly - the soundproofing in the rooms is the absolute worst of all the many (many!) hotels I've ever stayed at. I legitimately looked around the room to see if there were any holes in the wall - it was that bad. I could clearly hear conversations in the rooms next to mine, and I was woken up early in the morning by those neighbors of mine. The hotel does provide earplugs, but be warned.

Another thing that was terrible and inexcusable was that the shower water pressure was very low, to the point that the water coming from the showerhead felt like light raindrops on my skin. It was damn near impossible to wash my hair. I talked to the front desk - I kid you not - three separate times to ask that it be fixed. I stayed here five nights and they had plenty of time to fix the issue or offer to move me to another room. I cannot tell whether they never sent someone to fix it or if they did send someone and they didn't do anything, but this floored me. This level of service (or lack thereof) is inexcusable for a JW Marriott.

Also, the phone and safe were not working. It took me asking twice for the phone to be fixed for it to actually be fixed.

Overall, this hotel is in a fantastic location, but the issues around the noise, lack of completion of requests, and putting me in the wrong room type meant that for me, it did not live up to the JW Marriott brand, it did not meet my expectations, and it's not...